Norway Cargo Ship Grounded Near Home Officer Charged

A Ukrainian second officer aboard the cargo ship NCL Salten fell asleep on duty, causing the vessel to run aground near a home in Byneset, Norway, narrowly missing the house. The ship ran aground in the Trondheim fjord early on May 22, and no one aboard was injured, nor were there any oil spills reported. The ship was refloated and towed to the harbor of Orkanger after containers were unloaded to lighten the vessel. The incident was witnessed by a neighbor who tried unsuccessfully to wake the homeowner, Johan Helberg, who slept through the crash and only realized the event after being contacted by his neighbor. The navigator has been charged with negligent navigation as authorities investigate whether work and rest regulations were followed. The shipping company NCL is cooperating with the investigation, and authorities are conducting an inspection of the ship following the incident.